Five years ago, Soulton Hall witnessed a moment of quiet, powerful defiance in the choatic mess of the pandemc, when some people and bisnesses (buth not all) were acting with virture to protect things that matter.
National Youth Theatre perfoing THE LAST HARVEST at Soulton Hall
In Ocorber 2020, the National Youth Theatre (NYT) brought their raw, site-specific work, Last Harvest, to our fields.
Born from the urgency of a global crisis, this collaboration instantly became an artwork in the pandemic emergency, a profound demonstration of the resilience of young artists and the essential, sustaining power of culture.
The National Youth Theatre performing at Soulton During the Emergency of the Pandemic. An inspiring institution that champions diversity, (c) Helen Murray and NYT.
That initial moment of defiance proved to be the foundation for an enduring and transformative partnership.
Looking back on the resourcefulness the NYT company showed in that period—through both Last Harvest (2020) and the ambitious site-specific staging of Animal Farm (2021)—our relationship continues and is an expression of shared values and respet.
The National Youth Theatre performing Animal Farm at Soulton
The energy that fueled those past, challenging productions now drives a new, exciting chapter, building towards a future collaboration that we are thrilled to be developing, and can’t wait to announce in due course.
This relationship with the NYT aligns perfectly with Soulton Hall’s own journey of resistance and renewal. Laely, we have been formally and publicly embark on the path to reclaim and celebrate our significant Shakespearean and As You Like It links.
Just as the NYT found new meaning in our ancient landscape through their challenging works, we are finding new purpose in our history—a history rooted in storytelling, performance, and the pastoral ideal.
The value of this work, particularly with young people, cannot be overstated.
The National Youth Theatre performing at Soulton During the Emergency of the Pandemic. An inspiring institution that champions diversity, (c) Helen Murray and NYT.
When the NYT company creates work on the Soulton grounds, they do more than perform; they engage with history, they grapple with challenging texts, and they build a shared experience. It is within these rigorous, creative processes that individual identities are formed, tested, and strengthened.
The collaborative spirit shown by the NYT, from the quiet dignity of Last Harvest and the revolutionary scale of Animal Farm right through to the promising work currently being shaped behind closed doors, is the perfect example of this principle.
The Last Harvest was part of Signal Fires – Credit & copyright: Helen Murray
We look forward to many more years of partnership with the National Youth Theatre, witnessing first-hand how their commitment to excellence and youthful energy helps shape not just the future of performance, but the future of society itself. Join us this season as we celebrate the enduring power of theatre, heritage, and the exciting promise of what comes next.
‘Animal Farm’ by the National Youth Theatre at Soulton Hall
